By Chris Slater, WV News
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) — Morgantown Mayor Ron Dulaney said during the Community Coalition for Justice presentation Monday afternoon that, unfortunately, it is necessary that the fight for racial justice that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led must continue.
“Martin Luther King Jr. Day was founded to coincide with his birthday, to recognize his valiant efforts and achievements in life to overcome racial injustices,” Dulaney said. “It is also a reminder, especially for those of us for whom our privilege and unconscious bias blurs or blinds on the issue of social justice. It is a reminder to try always to do our part to overcome racial injustices — both the most egregious ones, and the less conspicuous ones that still persist in our society on a daily basis.”
The Community Coalition for Justice presented their 15th annual event commemorating MLK Day in coordination with the West Virginia University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The theme this year was “West Virginia Civil Rights Leaders,” and was streamed live on the OLLI Facebook page. The program featured information about West Virginia’s civil rights leaders and included a performance by Ilene Evans portraying Memphis Tennessee Garrison, who taught in McDowell County and was a leader in the NAACP.
DeMarcus Bandy, a 13-year-old eighth grade student at Mountaineer Middle School in Morgantown, read his report titled “Structural and Systemic Racism and How to Build an Equitable Future.” …